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Washington County deputy resigns following financial investigation

Washington County Sheriff's Sergeant Christopher Fink resigned Thursday, Jan. 17, after word broke that he was facing a criminal investigation about the financial irregularities of a local nonprofit organization he was affiliated with.

Fink, 43, the supervisor of the county's traffic enforcement team, is being investigated following an internal audit of the North American Motor Officers Association of which he was treasurer but has since stepped down.

The Clackamas County Sheriff's Department is handling the investigation of Fink, a Wilsonville resident. Sgt. Jim Strovink said the detectives were planning on submitting a report to the Clackamas County District Attorney by the end of the week.

The North American Motor Officers Association holds annual trainings and a symposium for motorcycle police officers. Based in Wilsonville, the organization has about 400 members in Oregon Washington, Idaho and Canada. Membership costs between $15 and $30 a year.

Strovink said the investigation began Oct. 30 when a board member brought the matter of the group's financial irregularities to the attention of the sheriff's department.

As a police officer Fink has an 'exemplary record,' according to Washington County Sheriff's spokesman Dave Thompson. Fink was hired by the county in 1989, promoted to sergeant in 2001 and has been honored many times for his police work, including a 2003 'Looking beyond the traffic ticket' award for conducting a traffic stop that led to an arrest for federal bank robbery charges.

'He is a very well respected supervisor, especially in the traffic enforcement community,' Thompson said. 'His file is thick with letters of appreciation, thank you letters and commendations.'